


A Silent Cry

by wholocked_Pinkie_in_theImpala



Series: Septic-Eyed [2]
Category: Cryaotic (Youtube RPF), PewDiePie (YouTube RPF), The Late Night Crew
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - High School, American Sign Language, Harassment, Implied/Referenced Torture, Intense Bullying, M/M, Mute AU, Mute Cry, Muteness, PewdieCry - Freeform, Psychological Torture, i might have to add more tags, side ship septiplier
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-21
Updated: 2018-07-17
Packaged: 2018-07-25 21:54:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 18
Words: 20,768
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7548568
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wholocked_Pinkie_in_theImpala/pseuds/wholocked_Pinkie_in_theImpala
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Cry wasn't born mute. He had a wonderful voice that made almost everyone swoon. But suddenly everything changes. He gets caught in a tragic incident that costs him his voice -- and nearly his life. At only 17 he believes the world is destined to hate him.</p><p>This Felix guy is determined to change that.<br/></p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Sneak-Peek

Cry laid in the hospital bed, staring up at the ceiling. Tears burned in his eyes but he refused to let them go. He didn't want to seem weaker than he already was. Part of him didn't want to believe anything -- that it was all some sick joke. He was only seventeen. His whole life was supposed to be anything he wanted, but now it just felt as if everything had been ripped from him. He shut his eyes and tried to swallow the stinging in his throat. He needed to say something -- _anything_  -- just to prove he could. "I..." It was a struggle just to say that. He practically had to force it out of himself. "I... c-ca..." A coughing fit stole whatever sound there was left. The tears began to spill out by themselves; from the harshness of the coughs and the frustration of a lost voice.

"I can!" Cry screamed in his head. "I can! I can! I know I can! I always have! Please... Just let me speak."

But the truth was that he couldn't. Whether it was the physical damage or the psychological torment, no one was sure, but the fact remained that Cry couldn't speak. There was a chance he couldn't ever speak for the rest of his life. A voice that was so kind and caring, lost to the world for good. Cry's sobs racked his body. His breathing was constricted and it sounded rather painful, almost as if he was choking.

Someone knocked on the door. Cry hastily wiped his tears away. He tried to say, "Come in." but all that escaped his lips was forced air. The visitor opened the door as if they were cautious with what was on the other side. It was Cry's sister. She looked sad but immediately brought up a smile. Cry could tell it was forced, but he appreciated the effort. "How are you feeling?" She asked.

Cry sighed. He felt like absolute shit. Of course, he didn't want to tell his sister that. It's not like he could anyway, so instead he just shrugged. His sister frowned a bit. She walked up to him and sat down in the stiff chair by his bed. "You know," she started after a moment of silence. "When you were little, you used to be afraid of thunder. You would cry and hide under the covers and refuse to leave your room. You hardly said a word, you were so scared. But the storms would pass and then you'd start talking again. You'd act as if nothing happened. You eventually got over your fear and now you can talk through thunderstorms no problem."

Cry wanted to ask why she was telling him that, but he couldn't. His sister seemed to read into his confusion so she continued. "My point is, no matter how scary it might seem right now; you'll be able to get through it. Storms always pass. You just have to be patient." She smiled sweetly. Cry returned it as best as he could. He wasn't sure if he believed her words. It seemed as if his storm wasn't ever going to pass.


	2. Pit Bull

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's a bit short, sorry. But hello and welcome to the first chapter. I guess it's more introductory than anything. But let me know what you think, nonetheless.

Cry's brother absolutely loved Cry's voice. Every night he would only allow Cry to read him a bedtime story. Tonight was no exception. Cry was tired, piled up on homework, and Russ wanted him to hop online to play some games, but he still read to his little brother. He grabbed a random book and sat down on Nathan's bed. "Once upon a time," Cry started. Nathan was already hanging on every word. "There was a great owl. His wings were very wide, and he could fly for days. His name was Kou. He ruled over a vast land with many green trees. All the owls loved Kou. They would fly from all over the land when he called to them, but one day, Kou had his voice stolen. A human had taken it!"

"Oh no!" Nathan put his hands on his cheeks to exaggerate.

Cry grinned. "Kou was unable to call on the other owls to help him. He shut himself in his palace for years, until one day, a human arrived. The human thought the palace was abandoned. They entered and were met with a large surprise. Kou attempted to screech, but he had no voice to use. The human wasn't afraid, but rather curious. They asked Kou what was wrong. Kou didn't trust the human and tried to get them to leave. The human stayed. They thought and thought until they finally understood what was wrong. The human vowed to help Kou and return his voice to him even if Kou didn't want their help." Cry stopped. His brother was falling asleep already. He smiled. "G'night, Nate."

* * *

"I fucking hate all of you."

Russ grinned and put his head in his hand. "We know all about your undying love for us."

Cry scowled. He crumpled up the test and threw it at Russ's forehead. It bounced off without phasing him. "I was playing with you guys instead of studying for this stupid test."

"You chose to play with us," Scott pointed out. He wasn't paying much attention to the conversation as he was reading a book, but he sure knew when to make Cry look like an asshole.

"Thank you, Scott." 

"It's what I'm here for, man."

Cry rolled his eyes and rubbed his face with his hands. This was the class Cry was doing the worst in. He failed nearly all the tests and he always forgot to do the homework. Math was just the worst subject in the world. What were numbers used for, anyway? No one needed those.

"Relax, dude," Russ said. "There's still next semester."

Cry made a face to show Russ that that didn't make him feel better. Russ shrugged in response. "I'm just trying to look at the bright side of things."

The annoying school bell cried out, signaling that the end of class had finally come. The group of friends packed up and exited the class with the rest of the students. Cry was still moping while Russ attempted to be optimistic. It came out slightly sarcastic, but at least he was trying. Scott was engrossed in his book and didn't bother to look up. Snake was behind him to make sure he didn't crash into anything. "Trust me," Russ said as he stepped aside for someone. "Everything always turns out okay in the end."

"You don't -- oof!" Cry nearly fell over from the person he ran into. Russ held onto his arm to keep him balanced. The student Cry ran into turned around. He was rather burly and towered over the two. They could tell that he wasn't impressed. Cry couldn't bring himself to say anything, but Russ acted by pulling on his arm. "Sorry," Cry rushed out while he was pulled away. He noticed the student's eyes followed him as he walked with Russ.

"Did you seriously just fucking run into Keith Watts?" Scott hissed. His book was closed for once. He looked impressed and concerned at the same time. "How are you still alive?"

"W-what?" Cry didn't know what he meant. He had no idea who that guy was. "What do you mean? Why would I not be alive? Who is he?"

"You don't know who Keith Watts is?" Scott asked, astonished.

Snake continued for him, "In simple terms, he's an asshole. A pretty notorious one at that." Snake was a simple man and one of few words. He only ever spoke if it was necessary. Sometimes he was referred to as the wise, badass grandpa. Anything he said was pretty much gold.

"Don't worry about it, man," Russ waved his hand dismissively. "He's like a pit bull. All looks and nothing to show for it."

Cry tried to believe that -- he really did. There was just something about that guy that made him uneasy. 


	3. Heathens

Cry often considered himself very normal. He didn't do anything "exciting" or "adventurous". All he did was stay inside as often as he could. He lived his life in a fixed routine, just as any other person. All his days went like clockwork. After school, he would always stand under the tree out front with Russ and wait until someone came to pick them up. This day should be like any other. Once the final bell rang, Cry calmly grabbed his bag and left the class. Students shoved things in lockers, stood around to wait for their friends, or left the school without a second glance back. Cry saw Russ in front of him. He meant to call out but found himself toppling toward the ground.

The people standing closest to him just glanced down and continued to walk. Cry felt his face burn with embarrassment. He picked himself up and dusted off his shirt and pants. He looked around. A few students standing by were staring at him, but he didn't see if anyone had tripped him. He was sure he didn't fall on his own. He shook his head and rushed out of the school as if that would help his embarrassment. "What's up with you?" Russ asked. "You look like you saw someone's grandma naked."

"I wish," Cry sighed. He sat down in the grass. Russ joined him. "I'm pretty sure someone tripped me in the hallway." Cry began plucking grass blades. He would gather a bunch of blades to let them go in the wind.

Russ scoffed. "I'm sure it was an accident. No one would purposefully hurt you, Cry. You're way too nice." He jokingly punched Cry's shoulder. "Plus, even if someone wanted to hurt you, you could just use that magic voice of yours."

Cry laughed a bit. It was true. Russ often joked that guys would go gay for Cry's voice. Cry thought that was a little exaggerated, but Russ insisted. "You're probably right."

"You bet I'm right."

The two talked and joked until Cry's sister, Sarah, came. Russ and Cry were neighbors -- it's how they became such close friends. They've been together since kindergarten. Their mothers both had several pictures of little Russ and Cry playing with each other. It was rather embarrassing when the two mothers got together. They could talk for hours about their sons when they were young. Sarah pulled into the driveway. Russ said goodbye and walked over to the next house. Before Sarah opened the door she said, "Oh! By the way, Nate came home super excited so you might want to look out for that." Cry groaned and his sister opened the door.

Their little brother came running toward them. Before Cry could step inside, Nathan jumped on him. The two stumbled backwards, but Cry was able to maintain his balance. Nathan wasn't exactly a small kid. He was seven years old; a little too big to be carried. Yet he hung on Cry's neck as if he was still three. He started babbling on and on about whatever was running through his little head. Cry tried to interrupt, but Nathan was better at interrupting than he was. "Kid, you're really heavy," Cry managed to get in while Nathan took a breath. "And I haven't even gotten inside yet." He set Nathan down and shut the door behind them.

Cry started walking to his room and Nathan chirped along. Cry smiled to himself. His little brother was amusing. And it was so cute how he could be amazed at the simplest things. Cry plopped down on his bed and Nathan climbed up to join. He continued to ramble on but Cry didn't mind. "Hey, Cry," Nathan said after a moment of silence. "Do you think when I get older I'll have a voice like you?"

Cry couldn't help but laugh. "Maybe if you're lucky, kiddo."

Nathan sat up and looked down at Cry. "Your voice is the best, Cry. When you read I can fall asleep easy and even when you're just talking it's like... I don't know." He seemed to think for a moment; his little cheeks puffed out to find the right words. "Like I'm home."

Cry stared at his brother for a moment. He never really thought Nathan could feel that way about a voice -- _his_ voice. Could a voice really be that powerful? Cry cracked a large grin. "C'mere, you." He embraced his brother and ruffled his hair. "Now don't you wanna go tell Sarah all the things you told me?" Nathan eagerly jumped off the bed and began calling for their sister. Cry just sat back and enjoyed his bed.

~~~

There was a time when Russ wasn't a sarcastic asshole. Cry wasn't sure how old Russ was when he first understood the concept, but he wished that never happened. The boy was just too witty for his own good. It's one of the reasons the two ended up in detention. The other reason was that Cry was stupid. A rather deadly combination. It certainly wasn't their first time serving detention. The pair would often get into trouble more often than they would like. They had a habit of getting on teachers' bad sides.

Russ flicked a piece of paper off the desk he was sitting at. Cry was sitting beside him, absolutely bummed out. He was hoping to get home to take a nice nap, but that wasn't going to happen anytime soon. He could already imagine Sarah rolling her eyes at him. His mother wouldn't care much. She was hardly around enough to know how many times he got a detention. Russ's mother was almost as sarcastic as he was, so she wouldn't give a damn. Cry always found it odd that Russ's father was the only strict member of the family.

The two waited for all the students to pile in the room. It was mainly students who typically get in trouble. There were a few who looked out of place; who most likely got a tardy from a strict teacher. Cry and Russ played paper football as they continued to wait. It was Cry's turn to flick the little paper triangle between Russ's poised fingers. He was about to hit it when he noticed a change in mood. The students hushed and some even sat up straighter. Cry looked toward the door in curiosity. His heart nearly stopped when Keith Watts looked him straight in the eyes. Russ turned around to see what the fuss was all about. "Whatcha in for?" He asked in a joking manner. Cry threw the paper football at his head.

Keith only grunted in response. He walked over to a desk and sat down without another word. "Sheesh," Russ turned back around. "He's not much of a talker, is he? Rather neanderthally if you as me." He made sure to lower his voice at the last remark. He picked up the paper football. "That counts as a miss, by the way."

Cry rolled his eyes, but he felt on edge. The way Keith looked at him... it was unsettling. It didn't seem as if it was some kind of accident. But there was no reason to get Russ concerned. Cry put up his fingers to make the goal. "Whatever. It's not like you can do any better."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hopefully this chapter was written better. Anyway, I have no idea what Cry's sister's name is so I just made it up because We Don't Talk About Sarah. Also, I had no idea what YouTuber I could use that looks/acts intimidating, so I made up Keith Watts. I don't really like doing that. I prefer to use YouTubers in YouTube fanfics, but oh well. Let me know what you think!


	4. Sly

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I actually intended to make this chapter longer than it actually is, so the beginning is a little awkward because of it. The first paragraph will make better sense next chapter.

Cry never actually considered himself a pacifist. Sure, he wouldn't fight; and in video games, he refused to kill if he didn't have to. But he never thought about being labeled a pacifist. It never occurred to him to have that title until about the end of the month.

In the weeks prior, Cry noticed an increase in students trying to intimidate him. There would be some fully willing to pick a fight while others looked like they didn't want to be there. Cry handled them all the same. He wouldn't let his friends get involved, and he calmly talked to whoever was in front of him. One day there was a kid who looked like a nervous wreck. He didn't get any words out; he took one look at Snake and went in the opposite direction. Cry's friends voiced their concerns, but Cry waved them off. It's not like he couldn't handle people trying to start a fight with him.

But Cry found things starting to spiral out of control.

More students -- people Cry was half the size of -- started pestering him. It wasn't just intimidation anymore. It turned into shoving and tripping. These people were taking action now. Cry didn't have an answer as to why he was being targeted for these things. He didn't do anything to them. How could he? He always tried his best to avoid people that weren't his friends. For a while, Cry just kinda took it. He stopped trying to reason with those people. There were too many to try.

Russ slammed down his binder and turned to look at Cry. They were in math class. It hadn't started yet and there weren't very many people. "I'm sick of this," Russ growled. "Everyone's picking on you and you aren't doing anything about it. What happened? You could easily convince someone; you know that. Your charisma is like a ten -- if you try."

Cry shrugged. He was tired. Not only physically, but mentally as well.

Russ was visibly frustrated. Cry knew his habits by now. He would grab onto the nearest object tightly and move his jaw as if he was grinding his teeth. Sure enough, when Cry looked up, Russ was doing just that. When Russ opened his mouth, Snake spoke. "Why don't you go see Minx?"

"Minx?" Both Cry and Russ questioned.

Everyone knew Minx. The way people spoke about her, it was almost like she was an urban legend. She was the person you went to if you wanted dirt on somebody. "She probably knows something," Scott added. As usual, his nose was in a book.

Russ made the final decision to go see Minx. Cry had strongly opposed, but you just couldn't win against an angry Russ. When lunch time rolled around, Cry and Russ walked over to the computer room. That's where Minx always was. She was on the last computer in the last row. The black hoodie she was wearing looked a bit over-sized. The hood covered most of her face. "What the fuck are we supposed to say?" Cry asked. He intended on making Russ do all the talking -- he was the reason they were there.

"Just ask her why you're being bullied." Russ nudged Cry forward.

Cry scowled. "Oh hell no. It was your idea to come here. You ask her." He pushed Russ toward Minx.

"Actually, it was Snake's idea, so," Russ grabbed Cry's arm and pulled him. "You're gonna ask."

The two began struggling to get the other forward. They stopped when they heard a sigh. "Are you two here for a reason or what?" Minx called out. Her tone of voice seemed rather annoyed.

Cry and Russ untangled themselves and trudged over to Minx. Her eyes never left the monitor. She was playing some random flash game. "What is it that you want to know? I only take direct requests," she sounded bored -- as if she's said that too many times already.

"You heard the lady," Russ put his hands on his hips. It was something he did when he felt accomplished. "Direct requests only."

Cry rolled his eyes and sighed. "We wanna know why I've been getting bullied frequently. A friend of ours thought you could help."

Minx's hand paused. Her character stopped moving, then continued. "What friend?" She gave the two a sideways glance. They were only able to see her eye. It was a deep brown. "I like to know how people hear about me."

"Snake."

Minx stopped again, but this time, she didn't continue with her game. "You're friends of Snake?" She asked -- almost as if she was unsure of her words. "Good friends?"

Cry and Russ glanced at each other. "I'd like to think so."

Minx spun her chair to face the two. She swiftly took off her hood to reveal locks of brown and purple. Cry and Russ's jaws dropped from the sudden display. Minx was a rather pretty girl. Her features were placed expertly on her face. Her whole frame seemed to be the work of an artist's skilled hand. "Well then," she beamed. "Any friend of Snake deserves the best from me. So when did this bullying start?" She crossed her legs and set her elbow on the desk to rest her head in her hand.

Russ picked up his jaw and smacked Cry on the chest. Cry began sputtering until he found the right words. He was able to explain the sudden change in atmosphere in the school and how just about everyone seemed to be picking on him. Minx listened intently. Cry had to avoid her piercing eyes in order to not stutter. When Cry finished, Minx put a finger up to her lips in thought.

"Hm... I might have something." She stood up and walked over to the corner of the room. There were filing cabinets there. Minx stuck her hand between one of the cabinets and the wall. She brought out a manila folder. She flipped through some papers until coming across the one she wanted. "Ah, yes. Our school's favorite clotpole." Minx flicked the folder closed. "It seems Keith Watts has it out for you, man."

"Me?"  
"Cry?"

Russ and Cry spoke over each other. Neither could believe that someone would have some grudge against Cry. "Why?" Russ continued. "How can anyone have it out for Cry? He's one of the nicest guys I know. What could he have done?"

Minx shrugged. "I'm sorry, I really am. I have little to nothing on Keith Watts -- it's really bad for business, actually. People are just afraid of him." She gave a reassuring smile. "But I'll be on the case. Free of charge. As soon as a breakthrough comes in, you two'll be the first to know." She winked. "Give Snake my love, yeah?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sneaky Minx is sneaky. Anyway, I'll be out of state tomorrow. That means I won't get to write for about a week :/ And then band camp is starting soon so... Just be prepared for updates to be far and few.


	5. A Cry for Help

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay. So. This book might seem very similar to I'm Just Septic-Eyed, but hear me out. There is a method to the madness, trust me.

It was only a couple days after the visit with Minx that things really started turning to shit. Cry couldn't walk two feet without being insulted -- or assaulted. By the end of the day, he would always come home with bruises on his knees. By the end of the week, they reached a dark purple color. It was the only time he was glad he never wore shorts. Whenever he came home, he would have to take extra care of not bumping into anything. Nathan always made it harder. The boy never seemed to stand still.

The only time Cry saw all of his friends at once was math class. He waddled in -- nearly late for class -- and was stared at by all the students. Cry wasn't sure for what reason. As soon as he sat down, Russ whispered to him. "This seriously has to stop. Tell someone -- anyone. You need someone to help you."

Cry sighed. He replied without turning to face his friend, "I'm fine, Russ. Minx is helping, remember? If she figures something out then maybe we can stop this."

"That's not what I meant --"

"Quiet back there," the teacher looked up through his glasses. When he was sure the two stopped, he continued his lesson.

Cry didn't pay attention. Math was boring and school was too tough. How could people just suddenly start to pick on one person? He began doodling on the margins of his notes. He didn't stop until he felt someone's eyes on him. Normally, that wouldn't mind him, but under these circumstances, it was a cause for alarm. Cry didn't have to look very far to find the perpetrator. It was a student a few desks away. He had pools of crystals for eyes and his brows were pulled together. His mouth was a tight line. Cry didn't know his name, but he recognized that look. He wasn't a threat.

After class, the student approached Cry as he expected. Russ looked like he was about to instigate something but Cry stopped him. The student shifted his feet awkwardly. He looked at everyone before him. "I-I, uh," he rubbed his neck. "I really don't want to do this. I don't even know who you are. But I guess you kinda noticed that Keith has everyone wrapped around his finger." He gave a small smile. "Uh, I'm Ian, by the way. I just wanted to make it look like I did something. So -- uh -- bye." He waved and left without another word.

"Well he was nice," Scott broke the silence.

~~~

The day went on like any other. Cry was insulted, shoved around, and humiliated; but he made it to the end nonetheless. He tried to get out of school as fast as he could, but someone stopped him. He was taken off to the side by a girl he had never seen before. She had a streak of blonde in her brown hair. Cry was a bit surprised by this. He was half expecting her to punch him and walk away or spit out some insult, but she just stood there as if she was expecting Cry to talk first. So he did. "Yes?" He started. "Do you need something or...?"

The girl stayed in silence for a moment. Her face didn't give away any emotion and her eyes were stone. "No. Just wanted to hear your voice, is all. Later." As she walked away, she turned over her shoulder to wiggle her fingers at him.

Cry stood there in shocked silence. That was one of the oddest things to happen to him. "Um... thanks, I guess," he muttered to himself. He turned his attention back to leaving school.

But he was stopped once more.

Someone yanked harshly on his backpack. He turned around and froze. This was certainly someone he wasn't expecting to greet him. The only thing he could move was his eyes. He looked around to see if anyone was noticing this. They looked away if he made eye contact with them and the students walking, walked faster when they neared him. He was alone.

_"Plus, even if someone wanted to hurt you, you could just use that magic voice of yours."_  
"Your charisma is like a ten..."  
"You could easily convince someone..."  
"He's like a pit bull."

Russ's words came into Cry's mind like a one-chance effort to escape. He wracked his brain for anything to say before Keith could do something else. "Listen, you're a sensible guy, right?" Cry felt as if he was stalling his stall. "I could imagine you'd like to go home -- s-so would I, actually. So, uh, why don't we both do that? That's a good plan, right? Home is nice. I like being at home. We should both do that... that thing I said." He laughed nervously.

Keith didn't show any indication that Cry's words affected him. Cry felt like his charisma had been lowered to zero. "Maybe I should get better at DnD," he mumbled. "But about that home thing... I actually have a friend waiting for me. We always go home together, you see, so I should _really_ get going." He tried his best to back away, but Keith put his arm around his shoulders to steer him away from freedom. Cry felt like a child compared to Keith. Keith was just so bulky compared to Cry's smaller frame.

"Y'know," Keith spoke. Cry was caught off-guard with the Scottish accent; he had never heard Keith speak before. "I pretty much rule this school. Everyone bends to my will, and do you wanna know why?" Cry really didn't want to know why, but he didn't get the chance to answer, anyway. "Because actions speak louder than words."

Cry had a chill run down his spine. That certainly wasn't a good thing to hear; it gave Cry a terrible feeling. He desperately searched for someone to help him, but they all turned away. He looked over his shoulder toward the front doors of the school. Sarah and Russ would certainly be waiting for him by now. " _Please, Russ,_ " Cry begged in his mind. " _Come look for me. Don't wait around, please._ "

Keith didn't say anymore and Cry could hardly walk. He wanted to know where he was being taken but he couldn't bring himself to say another word. He was terrified. He became desperate enough to look for a staff member, but it didn't seem as if any were around. How convenient. Cry felt some hope in him when they began to pass the computer lab. There was a chance Minx was in there. So Cry did something he might regret -- he yelled for Minx. "Minx! Mi--!" He was cut off by a large hand. It made fear surge through Cry's body.

* * *

Russ stood there for a while. Sarah offered for him to wait in the car, but he declined. They waited for longer than what would be someone running late. Sarah was beginning to get scared. As the eldest, she was pretty much a second parent, it was her job to watch over her siblings. "Russ," Sarah said. "Why don't you go look for Cry? He has to be somewhere around here."

"Right," Russ agreed. He had an odd feeling in his stomach. "I'll be right back." He turned toward the school.

When Russ entered, he was immediately suspicious. There were groups of people whispering to each other and they all looked at him as he passed. It was a little unnerving, but also a cause for alarm. Russ continued to walk without anyone interrupting him. He didn't even know where he should be looking. It's not like Cry had some secret place he could go to. But it seemed luck was on his side. As Russ neared the computer lab, the door opened. Minx peered out with that hood over her head. Her eyes lit up when she saw him. "Russ!" she whispered. "Come in here."

Russ didn't have much of a choice. Minx dragged him inside and shut the door. "How do you know my name?" Russ asked.

"That's not important," Minx waved it off. "What _is_ important is that I could have sworn I heard Cry. He was yelling for me. I didn't look out until it was too late -- he wasn't anywhere." Minx shifted uncomfortably. "Do you think something bad happened to him? Did I miss the chance to help him?"

That odd feeling in Russ grew -- it almost made him feel sick. "I'm sure he's fine," he lied. "C'mon, you can help me look for him." Russ opened the door but didn't step out. Keith Watts was walking by; he looked Russ directly in the eyes as he passed. Russ felt his lunch beginning to bubble up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, so I made Keith Scottish because reasons. Anyway, let me know what you think of the chapter. Any theories on what happened?


	6. Stuck

It was dark. There wasn't much space for moving around -- almost like a small closet. All the heat from struggling to escape and harsh breathing caused the room to be almost unbearable. Sweat soaked through Cry's shirt as he hopelessly pounded at the door. It was obvious no one was coming. Hours had passed already. Cry leaned against the nearest wall and sunk to the ground. The initial fear passed. All that was in its place was hopelessness; his energy was drained. He thought back to how he got in this situation as if retracing the act would somehow help him escape.

Keith brought him somewhere near the back of the school. No one ever really went there because it was only storage rooms and a green screen room for the video class. Keith shoved Cry into the empty closet before he could protest. His first instinct was to begin beating on the door and scream for Keith to let him out, but Keith wasn't listening. It was pitch black and the lightbulb proved burnt out when Cry tugged on the string. He pulled out his phone, only to see there was absolutely no signal. "W-what?" He couldn't believe this. "N-no... no, no, no!" This was a nightmare, that's all this had to be. There was no way this could be happening. In a sudden surge of desperation, Cry began hitting the door. "Let me out! I didn't do anything! Let me out! Please!" He continued to scream and curse until it hurt.

Time had passed so slowly. Cry looked down at his phone to check the time. His heart nearly stopped when he saw how long he had been trapped. School ended nearly four hours ago. What did Russ and Sarah do? Did they know something had happened? Did they just go home? Did they try calling him? Did they call anyone? Many questions swirled around in Cry's head. There was no one he could ask for answers. He wanted to break down -- to cry and scream -- but he refused. He wouldn't allow Keith to do that to him.

Cry didn't know he fell asleep until he jolted awake. It was like something forced him to wake up, but there was nothing around. He checked his phone; 7:00 AM. His eyes widened and he scrambled to get up. School would be starting soon; someone had to be around. "Hey!" Cry shouted. Somebody had to hear him. He felt how bruised his hands were when he began banging on the door. "Is anybody there? Please! Someone help me!" His heart leaped up when he heard someone unlock the door. He stepped back to allow the door to open. "Oh, thank you. I never --" He took a sharp breath.

"Don't act so excited," Keith scoffed. "I came to give you a little present." The sound of duct tape stretching caused Cry to take a step back.

"W-what?" Cry backed up to a wall. There was nowhere to run and there was no way he could push passed Keith.

"We can't have that loud voice of yours get any attention, now can we?" Keith tore off a piece of tape. 

Cry squirmed -- tried to yell -- but it proved fruitless. Keith placed the tape directly over Cry's mouth. Cry suddenly felt very cornered. Panic set in and he tried to kick and hit his way out. Luckily, he took Keith by surprise. He managed to make it passed Keith, but not out the door. Keith pinned him to the ground. "You'll regret that," he growled into Cry's ear. Cry tried to wiggle away, but Keith was too strong. He brought Cry's arms back and began taping them together. "I'll try to consider not leaving you here." He tossed the roll of tape to the side and left without another word.

Cry's throat burned from holding back tears. Struggling to sit up wasn't making it any better, but he refused to cry. He wouldn't dare let a tear fall.

* * *

Russ felt intimidated. He knew he shouldn't be -- he did nothing wrong -- but being in the presence of police officers wasn't exactly welcoming, even the principle looked a little uneasy. For once, Russ was serious. He didn't dare speak unless he was spoken to. He had been called up to the principle's office for questioning. The way everyone looked at him in class... it was like they knew. The officers explained what they were doing. Last night, Cry's mother reported Cry missing. Russ was one of the only known people to see Cry last. "Tell us anything you know," one of the officers concluded. "We're gonna need all the information we can get."

Russ hesitated. He glanced at the principle, almost as if for permission, and she nodded in encouragement. "Well, uh," Russ had no idea why he was so nervous. "Yesterday was pretty normal, I guess. Nothing really out of the ordinary happened. Just when Sarah and I were waiting for Cry. He usually joins me outside pretty quick, but when he didn't come I just thought he forgot something in class -- it wouldn't have been the first time. But he still wasn't showing up. When Sarah came we decided to wait for a while until she eventually sent me to go look for him. I-I kinda think other students saw what happened. When I walked back into school, they all looked at me like they were g-guilty or something. A friend -- Minx -- said that she heard Cry call for her, but she didn't get to see him. And that's what happened."

The officers nodded. "Is there anything else you would like to add? Do you know of anyone who would want to do something to Cry?"

Russ's heart dropped. He began to feel sick. "I..." He was unsure of what to say. Part of him felt guilty. "H-he was getting bullied recently. It started earlier this month." Lying always made him feel sick, and sadly, he was good at it. "I don't know how it happened. It was just kinda like everyone turned on him."

"Thank you for your time."

Russ smiled at them, but it just made his stomach churn. He left the office calmly. As soon as he was out, he sprinted to the restroom. He burst into a stall and threw up in the toilet. There wasn't much to come up. The only thing he had for breakfast was a banana. "Oh, f-fuck," Russ whispered. His eyes were watery, but he didn't care that the tears began to stream down his face. He just sat on the dirty floor and cried.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I will admit, it's fucking tedious to write this story. I wanna get to the good parts already.


	7. It's Gonna be Okay

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took so long. Thanks for the reads, btw.

The Kjellbergs are known for the tiny bakery they run. Their children had always worked there -- it was like a second home. Their only son, Felix, was closing up shop tonight. He was seventeen; old enough to be trusted with the store alone. Just as he shut the door, he heard heels clicking against the sidewalk. "Please! Tell me you aren't closed," a woman huffed, out of breath. Felix stared at her for a moment. Her heels made Felix have to look up to respond to her face. She was dressed as if she had just gotten off of work.

"I was just about to. Is there something you needed?" Felix put the keys back in his pocket. It was only one woman. Surely, he could help her with enough time to be on his way home before too late.

"I put in an order for a birthday cake. I was supposed to come an hour ago, but traffic was terrible." The woman looked like she was in distress.

Felix remembered that order. He made it with his sister, Fanny. It was a small cake accompanied with mini Oreos on top. Fanny did all the decorating and, if Felix remembered correctly, it was for a little boy. Felix smiled. "It's waiting inside." He opened the door and the woman nearly cried out in relief.

"Thank you so much!"

Felix let the woman inside but paused before going in himself. He heard a noise coming from the alleyway. It sounded almost like... Felix shook his head at the thought. That was just his imagination. It was probably some stray animal. He let the door close behind him and he flipped on the lights.

* * *

Days. Cry was trapped in that closet for days. No one ever came in. He was fully convinced Keith was going to keep him there, tied up and helpless. Thoughts of starving to death within such a close range of people who could help him became constant. All he had the power to do was sit and hope something would pity him.

On no special day in particular, the door opened. Cry had to squint and turn his head away from the sudden intrusion of light. It wasn't much, but a lot more than the lonely closet had to offer. Before Cry could regain any of his senses, he was yanked up by the collar of his shirt. His legs shook from the sudden weight they had to carry and who he came face-to-face with. "Did you miss me?" Keith smirked.

Cry was frightened. He didn't dare make a sound.

"C'mon," Keith pulled Cry out. He stumbled over his own feet. "I gotta get rid of you before the police start catching on."

Cry released a pathetic squeak. _Get rid of me?!_

"Oh, did you really think I would leave you in there? Tch, you're a lot stupider than I thought. Everyone is a witness against me -- I know someone will break and let it slip."

Cry found it hard to walk. With his hands taped behind his back, and Keith dragging him along like he was nothing, it was almost impossible to keep balance. As soon as the cool evening air hit them, Cry wanted nothing more than to run away. He wanted to scream and let everyone know where he was -- how he was trapped right under their noses. But that was deemed even more impossible as he was shoved into the back seat of a car.

"Why are you doing this to me?" Cry wanted to scream at the top of his lungs. "What the fuck did I ever do to you?"

There was no way to tell where they were going. Cry only had a perfect view of the roof of the car. For the most part, they were going straight and it felt like an eternity before they stopped. Cry was dragged out by his feet, landing on the ground rather harshly. He cried out from the pain, but it went unheard. He was hauled over Keith's shoulder and Cry had half a mind to start kicking. "Nothing good will come out of that, stupid," Cry scolded himself.

Cry had no idea where they were. The darkness and the angle combined with the fact that he never got out much, made him feel lost. Backs of buildings were the only things he could see. Where was this? Cry was thrown to the ground before he could examine anything else. His hands had been crushed under his own weight and smashed against loose gravel. He yelped in response, but it wouldn't have made a difference if he hadn't. It didn't seem as if anyone was around and the tape caught all his sounds.

Keith put his foot on Cry's chest to keep him from sitting up. "Let's see what I can get away with..."

* * *

The bakery wasn't that big. It was only big enough for a back kitchen, display, and a couple of tables. It got crowded often but on slow days it wasn't so bad. The woman gazed around the tiny place while Felix went to the back. He turned on the lights and saw everything as he left it. With a satisfied sigh, he walked over to the refrigerator to grab the cake. There was a label to say who the cake was for and what kind of cake it was. It was just a normal chocolate cake for Melanie. Felix felt it was safe to assume the woman was Melanie.

Felix turned off the lights on his way out. He set the box on the counter and Melanie walked up to him. "I can't thank you enough," she said as she took out her wallet.

Felix smiled at her. "It was no problem, really." He took her card and swiped it.

The exchange didn't take long. Melanie continued thanking Felix until she left. Felix stood there and smiled a bit. He loved to help people. With one last glance around the store, Felix decided it was time to lock up. He closed the door and brought out the keys one more time.

It was a bit later, but there was a chance Felix could get home in time if he picked up his pace. He didn't get that far before something stopped him. Something that made his blood run cold and his heart nearly stop. It was a scream. A scream so loud it still rang in his ears. It was full of terror and a desperate plea for attention. Part of Felix didn't want to find the source of it -- didn't want to be a witness or a possible next victim. He looked around. The street was empty; there was nothing but businesses lined here.

Felix swallowed the lump in his throat and turned toward the alley. There was a shadow that he couldn't make out, luckily it didn't notice him. He slowly brought out his phone to turn on the flashlight, but fate wouldn't allow it. Before Felix could light up the alley, he received a text. The ring echoed from the near silence and volume. He dropped his phone in surprise. " _J_ _ävla helvete,_ " Felix cursed. He forgot to turn the volume back down after blasting some music. He picked up his phone and looked at the text.

My Sibling: _Are you planning to come home anytime soon?_

Felix swiped it away. He turned on the flashlight only to see that the shadow was gone. That didn't make his heart pound any less. He felt compelled to search the alley -- as if every part of his body wanted him to move and look before it was too late. He glanced around one last time before heading in.

The first thing he heard was sobbing. It was one of the most heartbreaking things Felix had ever heard. "H-hello?" He managed to get out. The sobbing ceased and Felix inched forward. His light landed on someone's feet. With a shaky breath, Felix moved it up their legs to their face. He almost dropped his phone again. It was a boy about his age. His face was only smeared with tears and dirt but Felix had no idea who he could be. The poor boy looked like he got the shit kicked out of him. "Are you okay?" Felix mentally cursed himself. What a stupid question. His mind was just too crowded with confusion and fear.

It looked like the boy wanted to say something, but he was cut off. Felix thought he was just throwing up, but he saw it was much more serious than that. The boy was throwing up blood. "Oh n-no," Felix whimpered as he kneeled. His free hand hovered just an inch away from the boy; he debated helping him up or not. There was a chance something could be broken inside of him and Felix didn't want to make it worse. He drew his hand back. "I-I'll call an ambulance. It's gonna be okay."


	8. Guilt Ridden

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took so long. I was super busy.

Russ stared at the ceiling in his room. Cry was found in an alleyway by some guy named Felix Kjellberg. He didn't know who that was or why he found Cry. He was sorry for the both of them. He was sorry that some random boy had to be brought in for questioning, he was sorry when he found out how injured Cry was. He was just sorry. There was no reason for him to have lied. There was no threat that could have been made for him to turn his back on his best friend. 

Yet there was.

All the students held a fear for Keith Watts, but no one was held up to such a pressure as Russ and Minx were. The last witnesses. Russ never knew there was dirt on Minx that someone else would have. Minx was an enigma; a shadow in every dark corner. It seemed a bit unlikely that people knew more than her name. But Keith did. Keith held it over her head until she begged for mercy. Russ had no idea Minx could be broken like that. She was always painted as some sort of a suave trickster. But Russ also didn't know he could be broken like that either.

Scott's ringtone made Russ jump. He grabbed his phone and checked the text.

Jund: _You gonna be at the hospital?_

Russ stared at it a moment before responding.

Jund: _Snake and I will be waiting for you_

Russ rubbed his face with both of his hands. This was a mess. How could he do something that led to this? He began to wonder if Minx felt this same guilt. It was heavy and full of regret. It was almost like an emotional version of trying to lift your legs out of water when your shoes and pants are soaked. His thoughts wandered over to his earliest years of friendship with Cry. They've known each other almost their whole lives; it just made Russ feel all the more guilty.

* * *

Cry and Russ met Snake and Scott in second grade. They were a rather odd pair at the time. Scott would often insist that he didn't know Snake, and Snake spoke even less than he does now. They caught the interest of Cry and Russ by how they were introduced. It was only about a week into the school year and all the kids were out at recess. Cry and Russ began racing each other to see who could make it to the top of the slide first. Russ won. While Cry was pouting about, they spotted a boy yelling at another boy. This peaked their interests, so they slid down the slide to see who they were.

"Can you stop following me around?! I don't wanna be with you!"

Russ and Cry exchanged a glance. The other boy didn't say anything, only stared. The boy who yelled crossed his arms and turned away. He saw Cry and Russ and walked over to them. "Do you mind if I hang out with you guys? That weirdo over there doesn't want to leave me alone."

That's how their friendship started. Cry and Russ accepted Snake into their small group as well. It took a long time for them to get Snake and Scott to see eye-to-eye, but the two became almost inseparable. Neither Cry nor Russ ever mentioned it to Scott, but Snake had privately thanked them a few years after. He was glad that they were there to speak his mind while he was too shy to do it.

* * *

Russ stepped out of his mother's car and gazed up at the hospital. "I'll call you when I need a ride." He glanced back. His mother had a worried frown tugging at her lips, but she brought up a smile that Russ could see right through.

"Alright, honey," it sounded like she wanted to say more, but her mouth stayed shut. She gave a more convincing smile. "I love you."

"Love you too."

Snake and Scott were waiting when Russ got inside. Their solemn expressions made his heart drop. They didn't say much as they all went up to Cry's room and Russ was thankful for that. He didn't know if he would be able to provide small talk. As they approached the door to Cry's room, dread began to form in the pit of Russ's stomach. He was about to see the consequences of his actions and he wasn't sure if he would be able to handle it.

Cry turned his head toward them when they walked through the door. He gave them a small smile but kept quiet. Russ frowned deeply. From what could be seen, Cry had a bruise on his cheek and a split lip. Russ knew the damages were deeper than that. He knew Cry's ribs were bruised, he knew one of them had been broken, he knew Cry's esophagus had been scorched with violent vomiting, and he knew Snake and Scott had no knowledge of that. He stayed behind while the two walked up to talk with Cry.

Russ merely observed as Scott attempted to have a conversation with Cry, who only nodded and smiled as his responses. Russ could only assume that Snake and Scott were getting a bad feeling with Cry's lack of speaking. Scott's voice became quieter and Snake stared at the ground. Then, to the surprise of them all, Russ croaked out, "Say something." It was small and pitiful, but Russ couldn't help it. The guilt was eating him alive and he couldn't bare it.

Cry frowned at him while Snake and Scott looked at Cry almost expectantly. He sighed and closed his eyes. "I..."It sounded almost like a raspy whisper. "R-R...u..." He took in a sharp, gulp of air as if he needed to catch his breath.

Scott looked pained, Snake turned away, and Russ didn't dare believe it. He was in complete denial that this was something he indirectly caused. It just couldn't be possible. How could he do this? Cry is his best friend. This wasn't right. Russ's eyes began to water and his throat burned. Before his tears could spill, he bolted out the door. Scott tried to call him back, but it just made him run faster. He became lost. He took too many turns and his eyes blurred behind his glasses. He looked behind him to see if someone was coming after him. There wasn't anyone. He quickly scanned the hall until his eyes landed on a particular room.

Russ hurried over to the restroom and locked himself in one of the stalls. He leaned against the door. The guilt caught up to him faster than his breath did.


	9. Felix

Scott looked out the door, almost as if he was disappointed. He shook his head and turned back to Cry. "We'll go find him. C'mon, Snake." The two left for their search for Russ.

Cry wanted to call them back, say, "Leave him alone. He just needs to think." But all he could do was reach out hopelessly for them. He sighed in frustration and turned his attention to the ceiling. Tears burned in his eyes but he refused to let them go. He didn't want to seem weaker than he already was. Part of him didn't want to believe anything -- that it was all some sick joke. He was only seventeen. His whole life was supposed to be anything he wanted, but now it just felt as if everything had been ripped from him. He shut his eyes and tried to swallow the stinging in his throat. He needed to say something -- _anything_ \-- just to prove he could. "I..." It was a struggle just to say that. He practically had to force it out of himself. "I... c-ca..." A coughing fit stole whatever sound there was left. The tears began to spill out by themselves; from the harshness of the coughs and the frustration of a lost voice.

"I can!" Cry screamed in his head. "I can! I can! I know I can! I always have! Please... Just let me speak."

But the truth was that he couldn't. Whether it was the physical damage or the psychological torment, no one was sure, but the fact remained that Cry couldn't speak. There was a chance he couldn't ever speak for the rest of his life. A voice that was so kind and caring, lost to the world for good. Cry's sobs racked his body. His breathing was constricted and it sounded rather painful, almost as if he was choking.

Someone knocked on the slightly open door. Cry hastily wiped his tears away. He tried to say, "Come in." but all that escaped his lips was forced air. The visitor fully opened the door as if they were cautious with what was on the other side. It was Cry's sister. She looked sad but immediately brought up a smile. Cry could tell it was forced, but he appreciated the effort. "How are you feeling?" She asked.

Cry sighed. He felt like absolute shit. Of course, he didn't want to tell his sister that. It's not like he could anyway, so instead he just shrugged. His sister frowned a bit. She walked up to him and sat down in the stiff chair by his bed. "You know," she started after a moment of silence. "When you were little, you used to be afraid of thunder. You would cry and hide under the covers and refuse to leave your room. You hardly said a word, you were so scared. But the storms would pass and then you'd start talking again. You'd act as if nothing happened. You eventually got over your fear and now you can talk through thunderstorms no problem."

Cry wanted to ask why she was telling him that, but he couldn't. His sister seemed to read into his confusion so she continued. "My point is, no matter how scary it might seem right now; you'll be able to get through it. Storms always pass. You just have to be patient." She gave a sweet smile. Cry returned it as best as he could. He wasn't sure if he believed her words. It seemed as if his storm wasn't ever going to pass.

"Nate's gonna want to see you," Sarah added after a moment of silence. She spoke at almost a whisper like it was some secret. "Mom wanted to hold it off for as long as possible, but you know how Nate is. He'll win sooner or later. It's just... Mom and I don't think it's a good idea. He's never seen anything like this -- Mom hasn't even told him what happened to you. She's afraid it might ruin his innocence, I guess."

Cry pursed his lips. He didn't know how to respond. It's not like he could say anything or even attempt to compose his thoughts. Sarah didn't seem to mind. It was almost as if she said it just to get it out in the open rather than bottled up.

"E-excuse me?" A small voice came from the doorway.

There was a boy around Cry's age. His face seemed a bit familiar, but Cry couldn't quite place where he had seen it. "Hello," Sarah greeted. "Who are you?"

"Uh, I-I'm Felix," he sounded shy and unsure, but he kept his eyes trained on Cry. "I didn't really get a chance to introduce myself the first time we met."

Sarah turned to Cry. Cry stared at Felix, trying to remember, until it clicked. Felix was the one who helped him. The first thing he wanted to say was thank you, but his mouth stayed shut. He could only wave in response.

Felix smiled, looking a little more at ease. "Can I come in?"

"Yes, of course," Sarah said as she stood up. "You can keep an eye on Cry for me while I'm gone." She turned to Cry with a small smile. "I'll be right back. I gotta go pick up Nate." She kissed his forehead and left.

Cry looked down at his blanket. He wanted to say something to Felix -- anything. He wanted to open his mouth, but his jaw was set in place. He could feel the words on the tip of his tongue with no way to voice them. Cry looked up when Felix sat down next to him.

Felix gave a broad smile. "So you're Cry," he started. "It's kinda weird to meet someone without even getting their name." He paused, as if waiting for Cry to say something, but then continued. "Why don't we start over? Hi, I'm Felix. What's your name?" He put his hand out for Cry to shake.

Cry felt heat rush to his face when he realized he couldn't answer, but even if he could, something was stopping himself from forming any words. He hesitantly put his hand in Felix's and gave a wavering smile.

"Nice to meet you," Felix chirped without missing a beat. He didn't mention anything about Cry not speaking. He didn't give any weird looks or look at Cry like he was different. He even carried on a conversation with Cry like it was a normal day. He didn't talk and expect Cry to answer, he talked just so Cry didn't have to.

It may have only been a few minutes, but Cry already liked having Felix around.


	10. Turning Tides

Cry wasn't looking forward to going back to school. He didn't know how his teachers would treat him at suddenly not being able to speak. He tried. _He tried so hard_. But his voice wouldn't find itself. To make matters worse, Nate was filled with a false hope. He looked at Cry with the eyes of an innocent child. No one had the heart to tell him his big brother would never speak again. Every day since Cry returned from the hospital Nate would say things like, "Cry's gonna speak soon", "I know he can", or "Can you read me a bedtime story?"

His first day back was a rough one. Getting back on track wasn't the easiest and to top it all off his friends were acting strangely. Russ wasn't his usual goofy self and Scott glared at him every once in a while. Cry could tell Snake was just as uncomfortable as he was, but had no way to voice his questions. All he could do was sit there while Russ stared blankly at the table and Scott scowled.

By the end of the day, Cry was getting sick and tired of everyone's shit. Russ and Scott hardly uttered a word to each other, Minx wasn't anywhere to be found, and his teachers acted as if he was deaf. He didn't know how many times he was spoken to in a slow or loud voice. He wanted so badly to scream that he could hear, but instead just smiled and nodded.

A group of students stopped talking when Cry walked passed them. He glanced at them out of the corner of his eye and they stared at him with an unreadable expression. For some reason, this pissed him off. He scowled at the floor, charging forward to get as far away as he could. How could they act as if he didn't notice? How could every student change as if nothing ever happened? They all avoided him -- almost refusing to look in his direction. As Cry cursed the world, he ran head first into something.

Cry stumbled back, shocked. He didn't run into something, but some _one_. He wanted to say, "Felix?" but all that came out was, "Fe...?"

Felix grinned. "Hiya, Cry!"

Cry was overtaken by confusion.

Felix must have realized because he smiled even broader. "My sister and I are gonna start going here. Isn't that great?" Cry had several questions. "Of course, it's all because of you." _Cry had several questions_. "I talked to your mom and sister while you were still in the hospital. I mentioned that I know sign language -- two languages by the way -- and that I wouldn't mind teaching you as well as your family so you can all communicate."

Felix looked so proud and happy that Cry couldn't bring himself to frown. He gave a small smile, saying more through that action than he ever could with a voice.

* * *

Russ held a deep frown as Minx paced back and forth in front of him. "I can't believe I did something like this," it was a common phrase she had been saying often. "How could we do something like this? Cry's a nice guy; he never did anything to deserve this." She stopped moving and bit her thumb. "We chose our own secrets over a living human being."

Russ ignored the stab to his heart and tried to talk some sense into his friend. "We were cornered into making the decision. We were just scared and confused, we had no idea something like this would happen."

Minx looked him dead in the eye, which unnerved Russ a bit. She always had a piercing stare. "Cry will never speak again because of us."

Russ could only stare at her with wide eyes.

"We let Keith get away because our pride was worth more than Cry. What about now? Don't you regret it? Wouldn't you rather have Cry as he was than as he is? Could you imagine what he went through? The trauma? Keith told us exactly what he planned to do because he _knew_ \-- he _knew_ we would never speak out against him." Anger burned in Minx's eyes while tears threatened to extinguish the flames. "How could we do that?! What kind of fucking people are we?!"

"Stop," Russ said in a soft voice. It was nothing compared to Minx. "I get it."

But Minx didn't listen. She was pissed, upset, nothing would stop her. "What are we supposed to do now? How can we live with ourselves? Cry will always be a living reminder of our mistakes -- of what _we_ did to him." She took a breath and stared at the ground. "I don't know about you, but I'd rather have the whole school know my secret than let Cry live the rest of his life in fear."

At that, Russ absolutely broke. It felt as if his heart was being twisted and his legs turned to jelly. He was torn between his past and his best friend. Every part of him was screaming that Minx was right, but his heart -- that little organ that tormented his life -- was the loudest of all. It was saying that his secret was more important than anything Cry went through. It was worth the sleepless nights and upset stomachs. Because no one would know. No one would know this wasn't the first life he ruined.

"I-I have to go," Russ whispered. "Cry's probably waiting for me."

He ignored Minx's gaze burning the back of his skull.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's short, sorry D: I just wanted to get something out for you all.


	11. One Step Forward

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AHHH I'M SO SORRY. (this chapter is completely unedited, by the way)

Cry never got closure. The days after his incident slowly turned to weeks which in turn became months. Keith disapeared and the police were left with nothing to follow. They were getting close to blowing it off entirely, but Cry's mother begged them to keep the case open for just a few more days. They could only promise three days. But Cry tried to keep his head above water; winter break was coming up. All he could do was look at the bright side of things.

Felix had become one of Cry's biggest supports in all of this. With Russ falling further into his odd gloom, Cry was left without a best friend. Not to mention Scott seemed to always be ready to snap at anyone who talked to him causing Snake to relapse back into a quiet state of mind. Felix had kept Cry sane. He always came to school with a smile and a willingness to help out. They learned a lot about each other.

"My sister's hard of hearing," Felix said one day. He looked straight ahead, not even glancing at Cry. "Sign language was one of the only ways I was able to talk to her."

Cry, with his inability to speak and lack of knowledge for sign language, found himself unable to respond. Instead, he tapped Felix on the shoulder and smiled at him. He knew he would understand.

The closer Cry and Felix got, the more Felix was over at Cry's house. Nate loved when Felix came with goodies from the bakery. Which was quite often since he almost always came over after working. Sarah joked that Nathan would turn into a giant pastry by the end of the year. Felix reassured her that his delectable baking wouldn't turn anyone into anything, even if it was incredibly amazing. Cry couldn't help but snort. Every time, after Felix went back home, Cry would lay in bed with the smell of that day's baking lingering in the air and he would think "incredibly amazing".

The day before winter break was not something anyone was expecting. Cry's case had only two days left but that wasn't what he was worried about. He had a math final. A horrible, terrible math final. It gave him more anxiety than it should have which caused him to worry more. He stared wide-eyed at his desk, only feeling fear. He remembered Felix telling him something that he learned in one of his classes, "Your brain can't tell the difference between a hard test and a scary monster. Isn't that weird? Your flight-or-fight response will react the same to both." And then he remembered Keith. Keith was still out there. Keith locked him in a closet for days. Keith turned the whole school against Cry. Keith caused him to scream so loudly without it reaching anyone's ears.

_Flight-or-fight._

Cry remembers every moment of being in that closet. He remembers how dark it was -- how he couldn't even see his own hand. During the day the heat was unbearable. It caused him to sweat and feel even more trapped. The longer he was stuck there, the more helpless he became. He knew he was becoming dehydrated from all the sweating. He knew all he could do was sit and pray.

_Flight-or-fight._

He remembers feeling anger. He was angry at everyone who was so easily manipulated. They knew. They knew something would happen to him yet they just stood by.

_Flight-or-fight._

Cry would never forget what happened that night in the alley. He remembers being thrown to the ground as if he weighed nothing. He remembers every punch, kick, and hit. He could still feel his throat protest against all the cries and screams that wouldn't help him at all. When Keith ripped off that piece of tape, just because he was feeling cocky, Cry remembers screaming as loud as he ever possibly could.

This was his flight-or-fight response. This is what he went through. He could neither flight nor fight, but this is how he responded. This was his fear and anxiety and will to live. This was everything he felt when normal people would just be nervous. _This was his curse._

"Are you alright?"

Cry flinched but his eyes darted to the voice. It was Snake. His mouth was in a frown and his brows furrowed together. Cry gave a smile -- feeling his lips tremble -- and nodded. Snake was unconvinced. "You need to calm down," his voice was more gentle this time. Cry noted that this was the most he spoke in a while. "I know that look, trust me. Take deep breaths and think about something else." Scott and Russ walked in, not saying a word to each other. Snake sighed and gave a smile to Cry before going to his desk. The bell rang shortly after.

Cry decided to gave Snake's advice a shot. He let out a little puff of air before taking a breath in. When he saw the teacher passing out tests, he closed his eyes and focused on breathing. He could almost hear the blood pumping in his ears and hoped his heart would stop beating so loud. "Think," Cry thought to himself. "Think of happy things. Anything other than this." And so Cry thought. He tried to think of things that wouldn't link up to his past experiences. He thought of playing with Sarah when they were young. He thought of making Nathan smile for the first time in his life. He continued to think of Nathan and Sarah until he stumbled upon a memory of them having dinner with Felix. 

It was the first time Felix came over after work and Nathan was already eyeing up the box of cookies. Cry remembered spitting out some of his drink because Felix made him laugh. He could have sworn he saw Felix's eyes twinkle with mischievousness as he laughed along. Then he thought about how Felix's eyes always seemed to glow with emotion. They were so full of life -- accurately portraying Felix's personality.

Without meaning to, Cry only began to think about Felix. There was so much about him that Cry admired. The way he always smiled no matter what, the amount of dedication he put into teaching Cry, just everything about him. They way when someone makes him laugh and he glances away only to come back with a large grin. The way his clothes always smelled like freshly baked pastries no matter what -- as if the smell was just a part of him. Lately he had been smelling a lot like cinnamon and cookies. Cry remembered the last time Felix came over and how his room smelled of Christmas. When he went to bed, there was still that strong cinnamon scent. He wrapped himself in his blankets imagining --

Cry shot his eyes open and frantically searched for his pencil. He glanced around, flustered, only to see everyone starting on their test. His face burned a bright red. He kept his head low, ignoring how his stomach fluttered and his heart felt light.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ack, I'm sorry. This was supposed to be up Friday, but I wanted to add more but then today rolled around and I couldn't fit anything :/ I'll make sure next chapter is better.


	12. Giant Leap Back

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IMPORTANT THING THAT I NEVER MENTIONED CUZ I FORGOT: Felix signs everything that he says to Cry (to help teach and stuff). I'll be sure to mention that more often.

Whenever Cry wasn't cursing his classmates, he was a nervous wreck. Walking through the crowded halls made him anxious and paranoid. It always felt like people were staring at him. Luckily, it was the end of the day. All he had to do was step outside the doors and he would be free from those dreaded halls for two weeks.

"Cry!" Felix grabbed Cry's shoulder's from behind.

Cry squeaked in response.

Felix chuckled. "Sorry. I just wanted to catch you before you left." Cry turned to look at Felix and saw his eyes gleam with joy. There's no way he could be mad at that. "Do you wanna come over? I mean, I have to work for a little bit, but you can tag along. I can make you something."

A grin crept onto Cry's face and he nodded. He brought out his phone to tell Sarah he wouldn't be needing a ride home. He looked back to Felix. "Sarah knows," he signed. It was a little slow and unsure, but he did it. He gave a sheepish smile.

"You'll get there," Felix beamed. His hands were fluid compared to Cry's. "You've already learned quite a lot in our short time together. I'm rather impressed."

Cry felt his face warm at the compliment. "Thank you." At least his hands couldn't stumble on that.

"Anyway, let's go, Cry! My sister should be waiting for us."

Cry never talked to Fanny much considering she still had a hard time hearing, and Cry couldn't exactly speak or sign as fluently as Felix. He usually fell into a comfortable silence while the siblings talked. Fanny and Felix were different sides of the same coin. Fanny was more humble and quiet while Felix was bold and talkative. They complimented each other as well as completed each other.

"Hello, Cry, will you be joining us?" Felix's mother asked as the three students hopped in. She absolutely adored Cry. She thought it was cute the way he acted so shy and nervous. Like a puppy who isn't sure how to go down stairs.

"Yeah, he'll hang out at work and then later he'll be coming over," Felix answered. Cry nodded in agreement and felt his cheeks heat up.

"Maybe we'll put him to work." Felix's mother winked.

~~~

When they arrived at the bakery, the three students stepped out of the car. "I have to go to the store real fast, but your father should be back before me," Felix's mother said, as well as signed for Fanny. "Be good, you three." Then she drove away, leaving the three of them alone.

"Alright," Felix cracked his fingers. "Let's get to business."

The three walked inside after Felix unlocked the door. Fanny made sure to take down the "be back soon" sign. "Jeez, it's a mess in here," Felix sighed. The tables and chairs were slightly askew and crumbs and trash littered the floor. "Cry, you don't mind straightening things up with Fanny, do you?" Cry shook his head. "Great. I'll be in the back if you guys need me."

Fanny smiled at Cry. She motioned for him to follow her and he did. She handed him a broom and dust pan, allowing that to speak for her. Cry nodded to show he understood, took the items from her hands, and shuffled away to do some work. He glanced back at her curiously. She didn't speak a word to him in that whole exchange. Cry knew for a fact that she could talk — he heard her with Felix sometimes — but why not speak to him? He pushed it to the side and began sweeping.

The two worked in a comfortable silence. Cry swept up all the trash and Fanny straightened out the room. They looked at each other and smiled. Cry wanted to say something to her, but his hands stayed at his side as if they refused to move. He tried his best to at least say hi but they still refused. As if Fanny could sense his distress she whispered, "I kinda know how you feel." As she spoke she moved her hands and, for a second, Cry could see how similar she was to Felix. "I wasn't able to speak for the first few years of my life. I couldn't hear anything -- at least not clearly. It was awful, really. I didn't know how badly that would actually affect me until I started going to public school. It was about second grade or so, and I had a limited vocabulary compared to the other students." As Fanny explained, she and Cry sat down at a table. Cry noticed she never kept her eyes off her hands.

"I was made fun of whenever I didn't know a word or because I pronounce things funny. Of course, they didn't know why they just thought I was weird. My doctor thinks that's how I developed my selective mutism." Fanny shrugged as if she dismissed the idea. "But that's beside the point. The point is, I know how you feel when you want so badly to say something but you just can't get it out. It sucks. But I know you'll overcome it. I mean, look at me, I'm talking to you right now." At this, she looked up at Cry and grinned.

Cry felt overcome with acceptance and understanding. He had no idea that what he had been feeling was selective mutism. He didn't even know that was possible with his lack of useful vocal chords. But it would explain his sudden inability to make conversation with certain people. He gave Fanny a small smile to show his gratitude.

The two looked toward the door when the little bell rang. Cry felt as if his lungs were crushed and surroundings shattered. He stared at the newcomer with wide, petrified eyes. Keith didn't seem to notice they were there until his eyes landed on them. He gave a grin that caused Cry to shudder. "Fancy meeting you here," Keith sneered.

Fanny glanced between the two wearily. She wasn't quite sure what to do, but one look at Cry made her act without thinking. "Felix," she called out as she hurried back to the kitchen.

Keith immediately took her seat. He looked at Cry with an over-the-top smile. They stared at each other before Keith spoke up, "How've you been?" Cry didn't dare make a noise. "Not much of a talker now, are you?" Cry pretended that comment didn't affect him in any way.

Felix rushed into the main room but stopped when he saw Keith. He looked at Cry with wide eyes which Cry returned. Fanny cautiously peeked from around him. Keith caught on to what Cry was looking at and turned around to see the siblings. He smiled at them. "Finally, some service around here."

The siblings looked at each other, expecting the other to do something, until Felix spoke up. He put his hand on Fanny's shoulder and said something in Swedish in a low, serious voice. Fanny nodded and hurried back into the kitchen. Felix turned back to the two sitting with a concerned look on his face. "Well?" Keith sat back expectantly.

Felix's face twitched in disbelief but he brought up a forced smile. "What would you like, sir?" He spat out "sir" like it was a foul word in his mouth.

"What would you recommend?"

"Getting the hell out of my bakery."

"Fe-!" Cry cried out in surprise. In an instant, his face turned a bright red. It was just an instinct to shout out. It wasn't his fault there wasn't a voice to go with him.

Keith looked smug while Felix was stunned. "So the big talker lost his voice," Keith said. "How tragic."

Cry lowered his gaze down to his lap. Felix scowled. "You listen to me, mister," his voice was stern. "I don't know what you have against Cry but I don't care. There's no way I'm letting you treat him like that. Now you can get out or I'll throw you out."

Keith stood up from his chair, towering over Felix. Felix faltered a little but did not stand down. They stared at each other for a few moments, each trying to intimidate the other. But then Keith chuckled. This startled both Felix and Cry. "You have no idea who I am, do you?" Keith leaned down to Felix's height. Felix wanted to step back but he resisted. "Should I tell you the rules?" He shoved Felix back.

Felix glared at him when he regained his balance. Cry bit his lip and clenched his fists. He saw Fanny peeking out from the kitchen doorway. "I run things around here," Keith inched his way over to Felix. He grabbed onto Felix's shirt collar and Cry heard Fanny gasp. Cry could only stare as his friend was being threatened right in front of him. He wanted to help -- to stand up and fight -- but his body betrayed him. He was trapped in his chair with his body shaking non-stop.

"Next time I come in here I expect some respect." Keith let go of Felix and left without another word.

Fanny came running out to Felix. She spewed out her worries and Felix tried to reassure her she was fine, but on the inside, he wasn't fine. He was worried. It wasn't about his own safety or even him at all. It was about Cry. Because right now, his steady steps forward just took a giant leap back.


	13. Plastic Promises

The police came only minutes too late. Keith was long gone by the time they arrived. Felix's parents, on the other hand, arrived just in time to see the police. Felix's father showed up first, looking like a confused parent that just walked up to his children surrounded by police officers. Felix's mother came running down the sidewalk, immediately grasping at Felix and Fanny and speaking a million words a minute. Cry awkwardly stood off to the side while the Kjellberg siblings were bombarded with affection and concern. Felix caught sight of him and tried to push all the attention toward Fanny. Once he was able to escape, he went straight toward Cry.

"How're you holding up?" Felix asked in a low voice. Instead of his hands moving to form words, they were gripping at his shirt from his arms being folded.

Cry shrugged. He wouldn't be able to convey his thoughts even if he had a voice. He felt a number of conflicting things. He felt guilty about bringing the siblings into this. He felt terrified that Keith could walk around freely like that. He felt as if this was all his fault. How could he let this happen? He should have been more careful. He _has_ to be more careful.

Felix frowned and scanned Cry's face as if searching for answers. "That was him wasn't it?" He said at nearly a whisper.

Cry didn't answer, but instead lowered his head. Cry had told Felix everything that happened to him. It probably isn't the best thing to tell a new friend, but Cry knew he could trust Felix.

"It's alright," Felix took a step closer. "We'll get this all sorted out and soon you won't have to worry about any of it. Everything will only get better from here." He gave a warm smile but it soon faded when Cry didn't look convinced. He didn't know what else to say. He had never felt this overwhelming worry for someone before; he was afraid to say the wrong thing. "Cry..." But the words fell dead on his tongue. Instead, he threw his arms around Cry and brought him into a tight hug. "I promise I'll always look out for you."

Cry was frozen for a moment. He wasn't expecting this from someone who was just threatened because of him. His wide eyes began to water on their own and he buried his face into Felix's shoulder to keep people from seeing. He wrapped his arms around Felix to return the tight hug. They stayed like that for a while and when Cry peeked over Felix's shoulder, he could see Fanny smiling at them.

* * *

Russ knew he had to do something. This was getting out of hand. He didn't know how much longer he could take Scott's glares and Minx's words. They were both berating him for two different things. He just wanted to take everything back -- to start over. He wanted to take back the words he said to Scott at the hospital. He wanted to be strong enough to say no when he was threatened with Minx. He wants to stop staying up at night from the upset stomachs from lying to the people he cares about. On top of that, he was losing his friendship with Cry. It was all too familiar to him. It was as if karma had come to reap what he had sown...

_"This isn't going to work anymore, Russ."_

_"You can't just leave me like that."_

_"I'm sorry but... I-I just can't take it anymore."_

_"Red!"_

Russ pressed the heels of his hands to his eyes to keep from crying. He always tried his hardest to push away those memories, but they never failed to resurface at the most painful times. He feared the same thing that happened then would happen again with Cry. He didn't know if he could handle being responsible for another death.

Deciding it would be better to not dwell on his thoughts, Russ grabbed his glasses and scooted himself to the edge of his bed. He put on his glasses to look at the little turtle swimming around in the tank. It was always calming to watch his pet swim. "At least when I make terrible decisions I still have you," Russ said softly. "Maybe, in the end, I'll _only_ have you." The little turtle continued to swim without a care in the world, clueless to Russ's distress.

_Russ stifled his sobs when he heard someone open the door. It was a public restroom. It could be anybody._

_"Russ?" It was Scott. "You in here?"_

Russ slammed his fist onto the table. It shook the tank and disturbed his turtle. He didn't stop the tears as they fell out of his eyes. He just wanted to stop living in the past. He wanted to stop regretting his decisions. He let out a shaky breath and flopped back on his bed. It seemed like only yesterday his life was under control.

He nearly fell out of bed when his phone started ringing. Russ made sure to wipe his face before answering the call. As he put the phone up to his ear, he caught sight of himself in the mirror. He looked absolutely miserable. His hair was a mess and his face was pink along with his puffy eyes. "Hello?" His voice sounded croaky and unused.

" _Russ, come down to the school right now_."

Russ realized he never checked who it was before he answered. "Minx?"

" _Yes. Now get down here._ "

"What? How did you get my number?"

" _That's not important. You --_ "

"And since when did you willingly talk to me?"

" _Listen!_ "

Russ shut his mouth. Whenever Minx yelled it was never to be taken lightly.

" _I have some information that can be used to our advantage, but you have to come to school right now. I can already hear you arguing so let me finish. I don't care that we just got on break. I don't care that it's closed. You get your ass down here right now or I swear to God you will not live to see tomorrow."_

Russ stayed silent for a moment. It sounded serious. "I'll be there as fast as I can, promise."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not the best thing I've ever written but at least it's something. ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯


	14. Hacker

Russ pulled his jacket closer to his body as he stared up at the school. The sun was getting close to setting and it caused the air to chill. He walked up the steps to the front doors. It was dark inside; there was no one to be seen. Russ thought about knocking but felt that would be a waste of time. Who would hear him? He looked around, somewhat feeling like a criminal. As his back was turned, a knock came from the other side of the door. He jumped slightly before looking back. It was Minx. She opened the door and pulled Russ inside. The temperature inside was more comforting than outside and Russ was thankful for it. "So what's up?" Russ tried to ask as nonchalant as possible. It was a little hard considering the situation.

Minx rolled her eyes. "Follow me." She turned on her heel to walk down the hall.

She moved at an alarming pace, allowing Russ to struggle to keep up with her. "Can't you just tell me instead of being mysterious for once?" Russ begged. "It'll make things easier on the both of us. Besides, the school is giving me the creeps."

"It's not something that I can tell you." Minx stopped abruptly. "It's something you have to see." She opened the door to the computer lab.

All the lights in the room were turned on (which made it a little jarring to the eyes) but only one monitor was active. It was Minx's usual computer, as was expected, but someone else was sitting in her seat. "Russ," Minx began before Russ could question anything. "This is Gavin. He's your friendly neighborhood hacker and the reason I called you here." She closed the door when they both stepped inside. "He assists me on occasion when a case is out of my reach. And, as you know, this particular case is _way_ out of my reach."

Russ remained silent.

"He got some valuable information on Keith that can help us out a lot," Minx explained. Russ furrowed his brows. "You just have to see it to believe it."

"Are you ready or do you want to explain every little thing first?" Gavin snapped. He had an accent to rival Minx's with an attitude to match. "I have important things to attend to, y'know."

Minx scoffed. "Show us then." She took a seat on one side of Gavin and Russ sat on the other.

Gavin clicked an icon and a bunch of different windows popped up. Something that caught Russ's attention was a picture of Cry, but before he could question it, Gavin organized all the windows. "I had to do a lot of digging on this subject. It was a hard case to crack -- almost everything was locked away or attempted to be erased. The first thing that might interest you is Keith's criminal record."

"Criminal record?" Russ finally spoke. He looked at Minx and Minx returned his hard stare.

"Yes," Gavin continued. He scrolled down the page, skimming through mug-shots and scanned files. "He's been arrested for little things like shoplifting and the like, but he has a few bigger stains on his record." He paused for a moment, almost as if hesitating to say his next words. "One of his biggest offenses was cruelty to an animal. I don't really want to go into details but a stray dog was involved."

"Are there any other things like that?" Russ hesitated to ask. This information alone was already beginning to overwhelm him.

"Nothing as big as the animal thing. Until Cry," Gavin added the last part under his breath. Everyone was silent for a moment before Gavin continued. He moved onto another page with different information. "This was a very interesting find; it's Keith's mental records."

"Mental records? Does that mean what I think it means?" Russ stared at the screen in shock.

"Depends on what you think it means. If you think it means he's a psychopath, you're not far from it," Gavin scrolled down to a scanned file. "This is the most recent document written by Keith's psychiatrist. But it was written four months ago. He hasn't been there since. According to previous files, Keith wasn't taking his medications... which were wrongly prescribed to him in the first place. He was misdiagnosed time and time again until someone finally settled on antisocial personality disorder -- fancy words for psychopath."

"What does the file say, then? The last one," Minx asked. "There have to be notes written down somewhere."

"Lemme check." Gavin clicked on the image to see it closer. Minx and Russ joined him in reading it. All their eyes scanned over the information without actually absorbing it.

"There." Minx pointed at the screen. At the end of the file was a messy jumble of curves and lines meant to be writing. "The writing seems a bit rushed, don't you think? I can hardly read it."

"Maybe it was urgent," Russ suggested.

"'Patient exhibits violent behavior. Needs immediate attention.' What does that mean?" Gavin mumbled. "Attention for what?"

"I couldn't possibly imagine," Minx grumbled in a harsh, sarcastic tone.

Gavin stayed silent for a moment. "Anyway." He closed that window and began on another. "Oh look. More criminal stuff. Great..." He rubbed his face and sighed. "Obviously can't get enough of that, can we?"

"Let me take the wheel on this one, Gav," Minx took the mouse and adjusted the monitor to face her more.

"Don't call me Gav," Gavin mumbled under his breath. It was almost impossible to hear.

Minx smirked. Russ felt like he was missing something. They sat in silence while Minx read what was on the page. Russ noticed that Gavin began dozing off with his head in his hand. Was he up all night getting this information?

"Oh my God," Minx whispered. She turned the monitor back to its original spot. "I think I found the reason Keith went off on Cry."

"Well don't just sit there, tell me," Russ demanded in a rather booming voice. It startled Gavin awake.

Minx glared for a moment before explaining. "This here has several accounts of Keith getting caught with various illegal substances -- but if you notice -- the list is a bit short." Minx scrolled down to reveal a much larger list. "This is all the substances Keith has actually owned at some point but was never caught for. Some of this stuff is super powerful -- dangerous, even. Not to mention more than a quarter of them are incredibly addictive and lead the user to do anything to get more. They also leave some nasty side-effects. Gavin, how did you find all this and not tell me?"

"I didn't read it," Gavin defended himself. "Do you know how much stuff there is on the guy? _A lot_. I just compiled everything I could."

"Can we, uh, backtrack for a moment?" Russ attempted to keep calm. "Minx, you think the reason Keith tortured Cry was because of drugs?"

"Oh, I fully believe that," Minx spoke with confidence. "He was taking several different types of drugs during the span of only one month. Imagine what that can do to a person -- not only physically but mentally as well."

"And Keith's already diagnosed with antisocial personality disorder," Gavin added.

"This self-destructive risk-taking matched with his mental disorder is a cause for disaster," Minx said. "Keith needs a lot more help than he needs justice. If we bring all this information to the police then maybe they can deal with Keith as they see fit. Maybe send him somewhere he can get help."

"Let's not go that far," Gavin chimed in again. "I may or may not have obtained this all legally --"

"Great! So you'll get it all printed out for us then," Minx responded with a smile. She stood up and motioned for Russ to follow. "Get it to me ASAP."

"Where the bloody hell are you two going?"

Minx stopped at the door. She turned and gave Gavin one of her mysterious looks that everyone who had ever met her knew too well. "We have some very important information for someone who needs it most."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not sure if it all makes sense... if it doesn't I'll make it make sense somewhere down the line.


	15. Photos

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for being so patient with me :)

There was no way for anyone to know that Cry was at Felix's house save for Sarah. Cry was never the type of person to tell his personal life to the world. So imagine his surprise when Minx and Russ arrive unannounced at the front steps of Felix's house. If he hadn't encountered Keith a few hours prior, he might have considered that to be the biggest surprise of his life. Felix wasn't very familiar with either of them, but he let them inside nonetheless. "So, um, what brings you guys here?" Felix started rather awkwardly. Cry gave him a sympathetic look.

Minx and Russ glanced at each other before Minx spoke up. "Maybe we should talk somewhere a little more private."

Cry gripped onto the couch. He wasn't sure he wanted to know if it meant the whole Kjellberg family couldn't hear, but Felix lead them to his room. He closed the door and looked at Cry. Cry pursed his lips and hugged his arms around his body. "So what is it?" Felix asked. He walked up next to Cry — their shoulders almost touching.

Russ leaned against the post to Felix's bed and Minx remained standing. "We have some news," Minx said in a soft voice. "I had a friend of mine do some research on Keith — just to see what he could find — and he found a lot. It's probably more than I've ever found on a person ever."

Cry held on tight to his shirt sleeves. Felix spoke for the both of them, "Okay, well, what did he find?"

Minx glanced at Russ before continuing. "Uh... We found that Keith has an extensive criminal record which includes animal cruelty and drug abuse. On top of that, he was also diagnosed with antisocial personality disorder. And..." She trailed off. She shared another look with Russ, the two of them wearing the same grim expressions.

Both Cry and Felix didn't take that as a good sign. Cry felt as if his throat was closing up. He wanted them to continue, but at the same time, he was afraid. He looked at Felix, expecting him to say something, yet he remained silent. Cry unconsciously leaned towards Felix's shoulder as he tried to remain calm. It made him feel a little better.

"Minx's friend sent her a text when we were walking over here," Russ continued for Minx. "He was looking through everything he found and noticed something a little... alarming." He paused, unsure. "M-maybe you should show them, Minx."

Minx frowned a bit, but her brows knitted together in worry. She fished out her phone from her pocket and poked it until she found what she needed. Then she wordlessly handed it over to Felix. Felix took it and Cry peeked over his shoulder to see. What he saw almost made his heart stop. It was a picture of a computer screen and on that screen were pictures of him. It appeared that they were taken without his knowledge; he was never looking at the camera. There were some with him walking with Russ, others with him smiling at Felix, and even one with him heading up to his house with Sarah.

"My friend took that straight from a file in Keith's computer," Minx explained. "We don't know if he took them or not, but the fact remains that he has them stored for safe keeping."

Cry felt himself begin to panic. His chest seemed like it was crushing in on itself and he couldn't breathe. Not even when he was trapped in that closet did he feel this amount of panic. His hands began to tremble before he had the chance to hold onto something. The room was starting to turn dark and he felt as if he was unable to keep himself up. Felix grabbed onto Cry's arms and gently helped him the rest of the way to the floor. Cry saw everyone looking down at him with a different expression on every face. Their mouths were moving but he couldn't hear a thing. All he could hear was an annoying ringing that seemed persistent on hiding his hearing. Felix signed, "Are you okay?" But Cry was unable to respond. Instead, he let a small whimper escape his lips. He saw Felix turn to Russ and Minx and all their mouths began moving at once.

Then everything went black.

When Cry woke up, he was in Felix's bed with the whole Kjellberg family around him including Minx and Russ. Everyone looked anxious or at least concerned, but Felix looked like he was under distress. His hair was disheveled as if he ran his hands through it several times and his face held a painful amount of worry. "Cry --" Felix tried to rush to Cry's side but was stopped by his father.

"Give him some space, Felix," his father ordered. It wasn't all that commanding but Felix obeyed anyway. It was obvious he was reluctant to do so.

Cry laid in bed for a few seconds before trying to sit up. His face flushed in embarrassment when he had to lay back down from dizziness. What kind of a person passes out in his friend's bedroom? Only an idiot like himself. "Sorry," he signed. His hands were a little shaky but he ignored it. "Didn't mean to worry." God, he couldn't even do sign language correctly.

He saw Felix frown out of the corner of his eye. "You gave us quite a fright, dear," Felix's mother spoke in a gentle tone. "We were afraid we might have to call an ambulance."

After making sure that everything was alright, Felix made his family leave his room. "You're lucky my mom doesn't have your mom's number," Felix mentioned. "She would have called the second I said you fainted." He gave a small smile in Cry's direction. The room was silent after that. No one spoke until Felix decided to say what was on everyone's mind. "So what are we gonna do about that Keith thing?" Felix didn't let it go unnoticed that Cry went completely rigid when he reached for the water bottle next to him.

Russ looked toward Minx for an explanation. "We were originally going to let the police handle it," she sighed. "But Russ and I decided that we have some business to deal with first. My friend found enough information to take Keith down completely and we're going to use it before turning it over."

"Why?" Felix questioned. "You could end all of this right now -- leave it as a bad memory. Why hold onto it longer?" It was clear that Felix was an outsider. If he knew Minx; he wouldn't question it.

Minx got that signature mysterious look in her eye. "We have some scores to settle."


	16. Doubts

Cry wasn't sure what to think. His situation with Keith quickly turned to involve his friends. If he didn't know any better he might have thought this was Keith's plan all along; to get the people Cry cared about into danger. Cry may be traumatized, but he hasn't completely lost his mind. Yet.

"So it's settled then," Minx's voice dragged Cry out of his daze. "We do what we want with this information before the end of the day tomorrow. Hopefully, the police don't drop Cry's case as soon as the day starts." She mostly added that part to herself and Cry pretended he didn't hear.

"I'm not completely on board with this," Felix interjected. "But I'm not complaining if you promise this Keith guy gets taught a lesson."

Minx grinned. "We'll make sure he doesn't dare to think about this again."

Cry went home after that, finding he didn't feel very well. Nathan beamed up at him from his spot on the couch, but Cry didn't have the energy to try to fake happiness. He walked straight passed Nathan, his shoulders slumped and expression tired. He acted as if he didn't notice Nathan's smile immediately disappear.

When he got to his room, he shut the door behind him. He leaned against it as his brows pulled together. Part of him couldn't believe what his friends were risking in the name of some vendetta that wasn't even theirs. It wasn't like they caused Keith to do all those terrible things. Besides, this was Cry's fight whether he liked it or not. This was something he had to deal with himself in order to spare the torment of his friends. But the mere thought of Keith caused Cry to tremble. All he associated with Keith was the darkness of a closet, screaming, and the taste of iron. The images alone had bile rising in Cry's throat.

No, he couldn't do this alone. He was afraid of the outcome -- of what had already happened. He was a coward, a goddamn coward. There was no way he could protect his friends if he couldn't even protect himself. He was at the mercy of anything that so much as frowned at him. He couldn't bare to see people mad anymore -- it made him frightened. He couldn't look people in the eye anymore as it filled him with anxiety. He couldn't even take a test, for Christ's sake! If that wasn't reason enough he didn't know what was. So as much as Cry hated it, his friends were his only way out.

"But maybe it doesn't have to be," Cry thought to himself. "If I can get the information Minx has to the police before she gets to Keith, then I can save the trouble of confrontation." He frowned. "But I don't have the information or know of any way to get it..."

Cry was just about to throw in the towel when a thought occurred to him. If this hacker is Minx's friend, then there would be only one place where she would allow them to work. He had to hurry if he wanted to get there before the world became empty of life on the streets. But another problem blocked his path. Sarah would never let him out at this time and his mother would be coming home soon. If he was able to curse under his breath, he would have; instead, he grunted in annoyance.

A devious thought entered his mind.

He could sneak out. It would be easy as no one would suspect it. He could lock his door and get out through the window. Cry clenched his shaking fists. Coward or not, he had to do this. He had to prove to everyone that he was capable of doing things without anyone's help. Without another moment of hesitation, Cry locked his bedroom door. He had to act before all his anxiety started creeping in and made him second-guess everything. He quickly made his way to the back window and, as silent as possible, slid it open. The screen was all that was keeping him from going through with his plan. One last thought popped into his head before he made to open it: was this really worth it?

There was only one answer to that. And it was an obvious one.

Cry pulled up the tabs until the screen obeyed and pushed the bottom out. He silently thanked Nathan for tearing the front window screen when he was three before pulling the screen back inside to set it on the floor. He hauled himself over the windowsill and landed in the back patio. It was a chilly night tonight. Cry threw his hood over his head to try to keep some heat in. There was only one stop on this journey, Cry thought to himself, then he could get back into a warm house.


	17. Overdue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The title isn't so much for the story as it is that I haven't updated this in a little over a year. Oops.

****The crisp air caused Cry to shiver and pull his jacket closer. Part of him wondered if it was too late to go back inside, but he knew he had to do this. As much as it pained him to leave the comfort of his home, he was already too far down the rabbit hole. If luck was on his side, he would make it to the school before Minx's friend decided to leave. He just hoped whatever they were working on took a long time.

Cry pulled the hood over his head and yanked on the strings so it would be tighter. It comforted him a little, but the panic bubbling within him still set him on edge. It was starting to feel like a mistake the farther away he got from his house. Every way this could possibly go wrong started invading his head. Someone would notice he was gone from his room. Minx's friend wouldn't be there.  People could be hiding in the shadows. A person with ill intentions could be right around the corner; someone could attack Cry right now and he would --

"It's fine," he told himself. "Everything is fine. Just keep going. It's too late to turn back now, anyway."

Another voice in the back of his mind continued to nag at him. It tried to push the doubts and fears to the front of his mind. Cry tried his best to ignore it but he knew it had a point.

"Still," he rationalized. "I'm not doing this for me."

That seemed to shut up the nagging for a little bit.

With more determination, Cry picked up his pace. Time was of the essence and the school wasn't exactly walking distance. It was possible to walk there for sure, but a car would make it a much faster journey. Sadly, that wasn't an option. Not only did he not have a car (or a license) but it would be too conspicuous.  This was more or less a spy mission, after all. He wasn't the best spy for the job yet he was the only one who could do it. He would have chosen someone more competent if he could have.

Cry stopped in his tracks. There were very few streetlights down this stretch of road. The street was flooded with darkness since no cars passed by. Cry felt his hands begin to tremble at the idea of walking down there alone. The nagging voice chastised him -- told him what an idiot he was for thinking he could do this. He couldn't. He was going to be bested by a lonely road shrouded in darkness. He was just a kid. A little boy who hid at the idea of the boogeyman and cried in the absence of light.

Cry clenched his jaw. This couldn't be where he stopped. He made it this far, he had to keep going. Not even his own broken mind would hinder his determination. He took a deep breath, stared at the light a block away, and ran.

Nothing was going to stop him from reaching that light. Not the darkness, not himself, not even his own fears. He was going to make it. He was doing this for Russ -- for Minx. He was doing this to make sure Felix never saw Keith again. To make sure Fanny would never see her brother in danger again. This was for everyone but himself. Because everyone but him deserved it.

Cry staggered to a stop at the streetlight. All of his limbs trembled with no one reason. There were many reasons they could be, but he wasn't sure which it was. Regardless, he took in deep, gulping breaths to catch the air he missed. He hadn't realized he was holding his breath the entire time. That probably wasn't healthy. Despite this, he pushed on. He wiped at the tears that managed to escape his eyes.

The school was just one street away. He could do this. He had to.

And he did.

When he came up to the outline of the school, he was ready to break out into a new set of tears. He paused for a moment, telling the universe to go fuck itself, before continuing with a smile on his face. The eerie outline solidified into the familiar shape and look of the school. This would probably be the only time Cry was glad to see it. He jogged up the steps with more eagerness than a little boy on Christmas.

His smile faded when he didn't see any lights on through the glass doors. Not even a glow. He pulled at the handle but the door didn't budge; it creaked in offense.  He knocked on the door, refusing to back down. Someone  _had_  to be in there. They had to -- he came all this way! He conquered darkness and anxiety just to get here. He snuck out of his own house, for Christ's sake. If they weren't here, what was he supposed to do? He knocked again, with more urgency.

"Come on," he begged. "Please be here. Please. Please. Please." He looked around but didn't see any people or cars. His heart sank. "No. They have to be here. They couldn't have just left. Minx's work isn't easy. Open the door, please."

But no one came.

Cry stared at the door, heartbroken. He came all this way on a chance yet luck wasn't on his side. But... if they were a friend's of Minx that meant they wouldn't have come in through the front door. The front door would be too noticeable; Minx wasn't about being in the limelight. They would have come in through the back. The back would be easier to come through. Fewer people would be looking.

So if Cry wanted a shot, he would have to... he would have to...

... be dragged out by the collar of his shirt. See the night sky like he hadn't in days. Have his hands taped behind his back and stumble over his own feet only to end up shoved in the back of some deranged boy's car. Beg silently in his mind for the torture to end, but wind up in the hospital instead.

He couldn't go back there.

Not after everything.

It was too much. It was too fucking much. Cry fell to his knees and sobbed. He placed his forehead against the cool cement and let everything go. He felt too many things to focus on details. He wanted to scream. He wanted to let everyone know he was right under their noses the whole time.  _The whole fucking time_. No one bothered to look. No one ever even thought to check. He would live with the pain for the rest of his life. He would have a constant reminder of when his world ended. But never know why. The why would always elude him.

The emotions came in waves. A rocky ocean that had been due for intense storms. They pushed and pulled and pinned. The ocean was everywhere around him. It flowed freely from his eyes, it rocked him side to side, it even threatened to pull him under. He choked on his breath -- water would be getting in. He couldn't breathe. He was drowning. His chest was constricting, lungs burning for air. He inhaled but nothing came in. He tried and tried but no air would reach him. Water was the only thing he was taking in.

The ocean around him roared. No one would hear him cry for help. What a failure who couldn't even navigate his own seas.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My writing style has changed a bit, but hopefully it isn't a noticeable juxtaposition. Hope you enjoyed this long overdue chapter! :)


	18. Broken

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The AO3 version is behind the Wattpad version by like three chapters so I had to fix that :/

Felix had noticed that Cry hadn't been acting much like himself anymore. He became closed off and eluded everyone. No one was quite sure what caused the change, but everyone told Felix it was to be expected. Cry had gone through some terrible things, after all.

But Felix couldn't accept that as an answer. There had to be something else going on. Cry wouldn't just close up like that -- he couldn't. Felix had done so much to make sure that Cry always had someone to turn to.

So, without much of an option, Felix decided to approach Russ.

The two had only spoken the once when Russ and Minx arrived unannounced, but Felix knew that he and Cry were close friends. Who else to talk to about problems than the best friend?

After knocking on the front door, Felix couldn't help his eyes from wandering to the next house over. Cry's house. On the outside, it looked like any other house with a nice lawn and a car in the driveway (Sarah's car if Felix remembered correctly). On the inside, however, there was a broken boy locked in his room. Too afraid to come out and too burdened to seek others. It had only been a few days, but Felix was worried. In the time that he knew Cry there hadn't been a moment like this before.

The door opened to reveal a surprised woman. She looked Felix up and down, assessing him. "Yes?"

"Uh, I'm looking for Russ," Felix responded. "I have some things I want to talk about."

"Well, I'm afraid you just missed him." She leaned against the doorframe. "He headed out about ten minutes ago."

Felix frowned. Why couldn't this have been easy? "Do you know where he went? It's important that I talk to him."

The woman studied his face as if searching for a story. "Are you a friend?"

"A friend of a friend." Felix shifted awkwardly. It must have been odd for someone who didn't know Russ all that well to show up at his house and demand to speak with him. Maybe this woman wouldn't trust him.

"He went to Squidwell to make some copies. I'm not sure how long he'll be there, but you might be able to catch him if you hurry."

Felix beamed at her. "Thank you so much." He turned to leave but stopped before he left the step. His expression morphed into a sheepish grin as he turned back. "Um, where is that exactly?"

After receiving the directions, Felix was on his way. He had no idea what Russ needed to make copies for, but that didn't seem to be important right now. What was important was getting to Russ as soon as possible. Getting there on foot would take up a little bit of time, though, even if it was a street away.

Felix was just worried about Cry's wellbeing. He hadn't spoken to anyone and outright refused a visit from Felix -- something that had never happened before. Cry was always glad to see Felix. At least, that's what Felix thought. Perhaps he was being a little overbearing. He tended to do that. Maybe only  _he_  wasn't allowed to see Cry? Maybe others of Cry's friends had gotten to talk to him.

That thought caused Felix's heart to lurch. He really liked Cry. He was a cute, little, endearing sunshine ball. His laugh was contagious and his smile was so bright. It was hard to believe he ever endured anything so terrible sometimes. In fact, there were days where Felix downright forgot how Cry even got into his life. It made him wonder if things could have been different. If he could have ever met Cry under better circumstances.

If -- maybe -- instead of a dark alleyway in the dead of night with blood in the air, they met at a park. Cry could have taken Nathan there while Felix would go for some fresh air. They could have bumped into each other because one of the brothers hit a ball in the wrong direction. Cry would apologize while Felix would be okay with it. Maybe he'd make some smart ass comment about Cry not knowing how to aim.

Or, they could have met at the bakery a sunny afternoon. A bright day without fear. Cry could come in with Sarah to order a cake for their baby brother's birthday. Felix would have stricken up a conversation with the siblings, ignoring the fact that he's supposed to be working. Fanny, as always, would reprimand him in her quiet voice and native tongue so she could curse at him in front of the two. Maybe he'd ask for Cry's number then.

Any situation would be better -- far more cheerful -- than what reality had to offer. They wouldn't ever be able to say that they were glad to meet each other without some horrifying undertones. Felix would have bet money on the fact that Cry probably wished he never met Felix at all -- simply for the fact that it would mean never being in that dark alley in the first place.

Felix stopped in front of Squidwell, previous energy having deflated. It wasn't easy to see if Russ was still inside due to some posters covering the windows, so Felix decided to walk in. At first, he spotted no one, until he saw a sign saying the copy machine was in the back.

There were few people inside and those that were paid no mind to Felix. For once, he was glad about the monotony of human existence.

"Russ?" Felix asked the sole person at the copy machine.

The person in question jumped before turning around. "Felix?" He looked as if he hadn't slept in a week -- much worse than the last time Felix saw him, and he wasn't much better then. "What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to talk to you." Felix noted the rather large stack the machine was adding to. It wasn't his place to question it. "Your mother said you would be here."

Russ furrowed his brows. "What do you want to talk to me for? We're not friends."

Felix elected to ignore the slight hostility in Russ's voice. "It's about Cry."

Russ tensed up. Odd. "What about him?"

"He hasn't left his room in a few days." Felix took a few steps closer to be farther away from any wandering ears. "Sarah says that he barely talks to them whenever they offer him food and he doesn't want to see any of his friends. He refused to see me the last time I went over."

"Why are you coming to me with this?" Russ turned back to face the copier. "The last time I saw Cry was at your house."

Felix let out a slight pout at Russ's inability to cooperate. He thought that the other would care a little more -- wasn't he Cry's best friend? "I'd figured he would at least want to talk to you, right? Maybe you know some way to coax him out."

"Doesn't he have you for that?"

The punch in those words was enough to make Felix take a step back. He could almost feel the venom seeping into Russ's voice. "I don't know what you mean." Felix's voice was weak by comparison.

"You're the one who stepped into his life. You're the hero -- his knight in shining armor."

Felix wasn't quite sure how to respond to that.

"He trusts you more than any of us, doesn't he?" The tone made Felix choke on his words. "I noticed the way he clung to you after the incident. He'd rather have you over any of his childhood friends."

"I-I'm sure that isn't true." It couldn't be. "You know him better than me --"

"You're damn right I do," Russ snapped. He gave Felix a piercing glare. "Yet here you are, coming to me like you know what Cry needs. You don't know anything about him. All you know is what you had to rebuild."

There was a thick silence as the copy machine stopped. Felix couldn't match the intensity of Russ's stare, so he averted his gaze. Russ's eyes were like magnifying glasses on ants -- Felix burned under them.

"You'll never know Cry, not really." He started grabbing his stack of papers and releasing Felix from his stare. "You're just some guy who was in the right place at the right time." He shoved the papers into his bag with an unnecessary force. "Cry won't ever be the same -- you can't expect to fix something like it's broken and come out of this a perfect friend."

He made sure to look directly at Felix when he said, "You're nothing to Cry. Just a thing he can turn to when he needs another rescue. Maybe one day he'll decide he doesn't need you to rescue him at all." Then he left without another glance back.

Leaving Felix more alone than ever.


End file.
